Aligning devices for printing forms



Sept. 24, 1963 R. BOEIJINGA 3,104,475

ALIGNING DEVICES FOR PRINTING FORMS Filed Oct. 17, 1960 FIG-1 FIG-2 RuuRp BOEIJINGA INVEN TOR.

Ame/vars United States Patent 3,104,475 ALIGNING DEVICES FOR PRINTING FORMS Ruurd Boeijinga, Moiendwarsstraat 55, Apeldoorn, Netherlands Filed Oct. 17, 196i), Ser. No. 62,962 Claims priority, application Netherlands Oct. 17, 1959 3 Ciaims. (Cl. 33-1845) The invention relates to an aligning device intended to be used for the preparation of printing forms, particularly the fitting and aligning of printing plates or blocks.

Aligning devices which are provided with straight guides arranged at right angles to each other are known per se. Also fitting chases are known at one of the edges of which a sheet of transparent material is attached. Such a fitting chase is put on a fiat base, whereupon a printing form is placed within the chase after folding back the sheet of transparent material. On the sheet of transparent material, which is turned forward and comes to rest on this original, a few characteristic lines of the original are copied or a print of the original is made on the bottom face of the transparent by coating this face with ink before turning the transparent sheet forward. After the copying of the original on the transparent the original lying below it is removed and in its place are arranged printing blocks of which the final printing form is to be composed. For the correct determination of the position of the printing blocks the lines or the copy made on the transparent sheet should correspond to corresponding lines of the images on the printing blocks. This means that the transparent sheet must always be lifted again and the blocks below it always must be shifted in order to obtain the correct arrangement of the blocks, and with a large printing form these can be fitted in sections only. It is clear that because of these requirements the fitting and aligning oi the printing blocks require much time and that the production process in the printing plant cannot proceed efficiently. These drawbacks occur in particular with prints in two or more colors, the correct determination of the position of each color being very important.

The invention has as an object the overcoming of the drawbacks mentioned and to provide an aligning device by means of which the compositor at the start of the technical operations is able to compose with a small apparatus, mounted above two fixed lay-out galleys, and the composing forms can be fitted on or in each other in a shorter time than necessary heretofore. The device also makes it possible to work from a drawing or an old printed model. The exact fitting, correct placing and placing at right angles, and gluing or nailing together takes place by the form preparer when the form is composed in the size necessary for printing, by another larger apparatus. At the same time an economization in the costs of the blocks may be obtained.

For this purpose, according to the invention, the sheet of transparent material is attached to an element which is movable in two directions.

For this purpose, according to the invention, the sheet of transparent material is attached detachably and foldably to an element which is movable in two directions perpendicular to each other, the movement in one of these directions being limited by two adjustable abutments which together can be displaced while being kept spaced at a constant mutual distance.

With the apparatus according to the invention it is possible to transfer the characteristic lines of an original, such as a drawing, first print or first composing or printing form (masterform) or old printed model, made on the transparent material, to the composing and/ or printing form of blocks so that the correct position of blocks can be determined and it can be ascertained whether the ice printing blocks are squared and aligned. The device according to the invention is also suitable for use as a repetition device for the determination of the position of a number of loose printing blocks in a printing form. Because after once adjusting the two adjustable abutments the mutual distance of these abutments is maintained during their displacement the spacing of the starting model in respect of the printing :form to be made is always [correct, and it is not necessary for the compositor or the preparer to calculate or measure, which means "a considerable saving of time.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the element with the sheet of transparent material is guided on a first rod which itself can be displaced with respect to a second rod with the aid of a guiding sleeve which is connected with the first rod and which [can be displaced along the second rod, both rods being perpendicular with respect to each other.

According to the invention the two abutments on the said second rod can also be adjusted and fixed on a third rod which is parallel to the second rod and can be longitudinally displaced relative thereto.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top view of the aligning device according to the invention; and

FIGURE 2 is a side view of this device.

According to the drawing a sheet of transparent material 1 is clamped between the two halves of a guiding sleeve 2, which is divided in the longitudanal direction, by means of bolts 3 connecting both halves of the sleeve to each other. The guiding sleeve 2 can. be shifted along a rod 4 and be fixed on this rod with the aid of :a set bolt 5. The rod 4 is attached to a second guiding sleeve 6 which can be shifted along a second rod 7 and can be fixed on this rod with the aid of a set bolt 8. The rod 7 is stationarily attached to a printers table (not shown). The set bolt 8 and, if desired, the set bolt 5 may be spring loaded in such a manner that when the set bolt is pressed down the guiding sleeve can be shifted along the rod and on releasing the bolt the sleeve is clamped on the rod. The rods 4 and 7 are arranged at right angles to each other, provisions having been made to be able to readjust the rods at right angles to each other in case of wear of the bore of the sleeve 6. 'In the embodiment shown, the attachment of the rod 4 to the guiding sleeve 6 is by means of two bolts 9 and 10, of which the one bolt 9 is arranged in a slot in such a manner that after loosening the bolts 9 and 16 the rod 4 can be swung with respect to the sleeve 6, the bolt 10 then acting as a pivot.

The movement of the guiding sleeve 6 is limited by two abutments 11, 12 which can be displaced and fixed on the rod 7. These abutments also can be shifted along a third rod 13 and fixed thereon. The rod 13 is arranged parallel to the rod 7 and can be displaced longitudinally with respect to this rod. With the aid of this construction it is possible to shift the two abutmens 11 and 12 after fixing them on the rod 13 along the rod 7 While maintaining them at a constant distance from each other When the abutments 11 and 12 are adjusted for the first time they are fixed on the rod 13 and thereupon the abutments are not allowed to be detached from the rod 13 anymore.

Ball bearings 14 are arranged on the guiding sleeve 6 for supporting the sleeve. The bearings 14 rest on the printers plate and prevent sagging of the rod 7. Parallel to the rod 4 there is a T-profile stationarily attached to this rod. This profile acts as a ruler for squaring matter and printing blocks. This method is known per se. The rod 4 and the T-profile 15 are supported by ball bearings 16, 17 at the end remote from the rod 7.

The operation of the device according to the invention is as follows:

The printing chases A and B (or a chase B and an original) are 'laid with their longitudinal side-s beside each other. The face of the original is located in the place of the printing surface of the printing form. The chase B with or without form elements, is disposed parallel with the ruler 15 by aligning the inside of the margins of the chase with the ruler. Next, the distance between the abutments 11 and 1-2 is adjusted to the distance be tween the margins of the chase B. The transparent sheet 1 is adjusted relative to the original A by locating the guiding sleeve 6 against the abutment 12. A few outlines are drawn on the transparent sheet material 1 from the original and the guiding sleeve 6 is shifted to the abutment 11 so that the term elements to be fitted in the chase B can be exactly fitted by having the contours thereof and the outlines on the transparent material in register. The great advantage is achieved that the form elements can be correctly arranged and fixed in chase B without it being necessary for the transparent sheet to be removed.

I claim:

1. An aligning device for printing forms for use in fitting printing plates or blocks, said device comprising a sheet of transparent material, a firs-t guide member having 2 opposite ends and to which said transparent sheet is slidably and detaehably connected, a second guide member to said second guide member and said connecting member. 2. An aligning device as claimed in claim 1 in which said first guide member is a rod having a sleeve on the end thereof slidable on said second guide member, said sleeve being slidable on the second guide member, and said connecting member is a rod on which said abutments are slidaible.

3. An aligning device as claimed in claim 2 in which said rod forming said first guide member has a crosspiece on the end thereof toward said sleeve, one end of said crosspiece being pivotally connected to said sleeve, and the other end of said crosspiece having a slot therein, and a bolt on said sleeve extending through said slot for adjusting the angular position of said rod relative to said sleeve and said second guide member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. AN ALIGNING DEVICE FOR PRINTING FORMS FOR USE IN FITTING PRINTING PLATES OR BLOCKS, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING A SHEET OF TRANSPARENT MATERIAL, A FIRST GUIDE MEMBER HAVING OPPOSITE ENDS AND TO WHICH SAID TRANSPARENT SHEET IS SLIDABLY AND DETACHABLY CONNECTED, A SECOND GUIDE MEMBER PERPENDICULAR TO SAID FIRST GUIDE MEMBER AND ON WHICH ONE END OF SAID FIRST GUIDE MEMBER IS SLIDABLE, TWO ABUTMENTS SLIDABLE ON SAID SECOND GUIDE MEMBER, A CONNECTING MEMBER BETWEEN SAID ABUTMENTS AND ON WHICH SAID ABUTMENTS ARE ADJUSTABLE PARALLEL TO THE SAID SECOND GUIDE MEMBER, AND MEANS ON SAID ABUTMENTS FOR SECURING THEM TO SAID SECOND GUIDE MEMBER AND SAID CONNECTING MEMBER. 